1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastening structure for a sealing member used for water proofing or the like on a connector housing, and in particular, relates to a fastening structure for a sealing member that can obtain strong water proof capacity and reliably fasten the connector housing without increasing the number of parts.
Priority is claimed to Japanese application No. 2002-283933, filed Sep. 27, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A connector for performing electrical connections normally comprises a plug connector and a receptacle connector, and connection terminals made of metal are built into each of these connectors. Depending on the conditions of use, in these connectors, in particular water proofing of the connection parts of the connection terminals may be required. Generally, this type of connector is referred to as a water proof connector, and the methods for the water proofing thereof are as follows. A sealing member made of an elastomer or the like is provided on the plug connector engagement part of the receptacle connector. This sealing member is attached to the receptacle connector by a retainer or the like, the gap between the plug connector and the receptacle connector is sealed by the sealing member when the plug connector is completely engaged, and thereby the connection part of the connection terminals is water proofed. In order to perform this water proofing method, there are cases in which separate parts such as retainers for fastening the sealing member are necessary, and thus the number of parts increases, the fastening operation becomes complicated, and the costs are thereby increased.
Thus, in order to perform the water proofing method described above without increasing the number of parts, there are several structures in which a rib or the like is formed in the plug connector engagement part of the receptacle connector, and the sealing member is attached by being hooked on the rib (refer, for example, to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. Hei 9-213408).
However, in the structure in which the rib is formed on the plug connector engagement part of the receptacle connector and the sealing member is hooked on the rib, a mold removal hole is produced in the receptacle connector due to the rib mold, and therefore it is difficult to obtain strong water proof capacity.
In consideration of the problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fastening structure for a sealing member that can obtain strong water proof capacity and reliably fasten the sealing member to the connector housing.
The first fastening structure for a sealing member according to the present invention is a fastening structure for a sealing member in a connector that comprises a connector housing that forms an engagement part into which a partnering connector is inserted, connection terminals that are installed on this connector housing and are electrically connected to the partnering connectors, and a sealing member made of an elastic material and is installed on the engagement part of the connector housing and maintains a fluid-tight seal between the partnering connector and the connector housing when the partnering connector is completely inserted into the connector housing. A through hole that passes through the connector housing along the insertion direction of the partnering connector is formed in the connector housing; and the sealing member provides a sealing member main body that is installed on the connector housing and an installation part that is formed integrally with this sealing member main body and is inserted into the through hole of the connector housing so as to project its distal end part in this insertion direction from the through hole. Furthermore, on the opening end side of the through hole of the connector housing on the side opposite to the engagement part, a mold part is formed. The mold part respectively seals the proximal terminal ends of the connection terminals, the conductors that are connected to these proximal ends, and the opening part of the through hole on the side that the installation part of the sealing member is projected; and the mold part fastens the installation part of the sealing member that is projected from the through hole to the connector housing.
The second fastening structure for a sealing member according to the present invention is a fastening structure of this sealing member in a connector that comprises a connector housing that forms an engagement part into which the partnering connector is inserted, connection terminals that are installed on this connector housing and are electrically connected to the partnering connector, and a sealing member made of an elastic material that is installed in the engagement part of the connector housing and maintains a fluid-tight seal between the partnering connector and the connector housing when the partnering connector is completely inserted into the connector housing. A through hole that passes through the connector housing along the insertion direction of the partnering connector is formed in the connector housing, and a projection that is formed at a position on an inner wall of the connector housing in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction towards the part corresponding to the position of the through hole so as to project in this perpendicular direction. The sealing member comprises a sealing member main body that is installed on the connector housing, and the projection is formed at a position that does not overlap the installation position of the sealing member main body in the connector housing. Furthermore, on the opening end side of the through hole of the connector housing on the side opposite to the engagement part, a mold part is formed. The mold part respectively seals the proximal terminal ends of the connection terminals, the conductors that are connected to these proximal ends, and the through hole; and the sealing member is fastened to the connector housing due to the projection and the mold part that seals the through hole and extends to the sealing member main body.
According to the present invention, because the installation part of the sealing member projects on the side opposite to the engagement part through the through hole formed in the connector housing and the mold part is formed in the connector housing so as to seal the through hole by enclosing the installation part, a retainer or the like for fastening the sealing member becomes unnecessary, and the sealing member can be reliably fastened to the connector housing. Furthermore, because the through hole in the connector housing is sealed by the mold part, strong water proofing can be obtained.
In addition, according to the present invention, because the sealing member main body of the sealing member is hooked on the projection formed in the engagement part of the connector housing and is fastened to the connector housing by a mold part that seals the through hole, the sealing member is reliably fastened to the connector housing while maintaining a strong water proofing.
Moreover, in the first fastening structure of the sealing member of the present invention, preferably the through hole of the connector housing is completely sealed by the mold part along with the installation part of the sealing member.
In addition, the sealing member preferably is formed on the distal end part of the installation part along the insertion direction and has a stopper part that engages the opening edge of the through hole. When the stopper part is engaged, the sealing member can be even more reliably fastened to the connector housing.
Moreover, in the fastening structure for the sealing member of the present invention, preferably a protector part composed of a plurality of grooves which are formed along the direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the conductors is provided on an end part of the mold part along the longitudinal direction of the conductors. Thereby, it is possible to effectively prevent cutting of the conductors in the end of the mold part.